Success Story: Idaho

Before starting Tiny Tots Learning Center in Lapwai, Idaho, the Penneys – Bobbie, Santee and Lindsay – came to the SBDC for help with market research and business planning. They identified how to differentiate their business from the competition by remaining open later and accepting drop-ins for a daily rate.

The business opened with an at-home location in October, 2014. The team worked to develop policies, obtain licensing, participate in the USDA nutrition program, and obtain Idaho Stars certification.

Their diverse strengths helped the owners manage the demands of running a new day-care facility in a small town. Lindsay brings past day-care management experience. Santee is an amazing male role model for the young children and serves as the social connector for the business. Bobbie’s background has been valuable in developing curriculum, building connections, examining the financials, and sharing their story.

By March, 2015, they were at capacity with 12 children and a growing wait list. Working with the SBDC, Bobbie presented their business plan to the Nez Perce Tribal Finance Committee, who agreed to lease them a larger facility. (more…)

Success Story: Connecticut

With cosmetic products endorsed by Kylie Jenner and Kate Hudson, Mizzi Cosmetics produces highly sought after, all natural lip balms and scrubs called LipLuxe. LipLuxe products are made in Portland, Connecticut and are already go-to products in celebrity makeup bags. As a result of this worldwide publicity, Brenda Mierzejewski’s business, Mizzi Cosmetics, saw exponential growth. She knew she needed business assistance and came to the Connecticut Small Business Development Center (CTSBDC) via the recommendation of another Connecticut resource, The Innovation Center.

When Brenda first met with CTSBDC Business Advisor Denise Whitford, she introduced her to the business that she created in 2014. Mizzi Cosmetics is a solution to her family’s dry and chapped winter lips. Brenda tried several different lip balms to help heal and soothe, but couldn’t find one that worked. She decided to try a DIY project and make her own lip balm, using natural and organic ingredients such as pure honey, sweet almond oil, lemon and lavender, all in an effort to moisturize, heal and prevent dry, chapped lips.

She gave her friends and family samples, and shortly thereafter they came back asking for more. She knew she really had something that provides numerous benefits for all ages, so that’s when she created Mizzi Cosmetics. (more…)

Success Story: Missouri

With timely advice and guidance from the Missouri SBTDC and other University of Missouri Extension Business Development Program (BDP) services and personnel, mother and daughter Kim Harrison and Olivia Vann invented an online service linking food buyers and sellers, called 2BuyAg. 2BuyAg is free for producers, with buyers paying a nominal percentage-based convenience fee.

2BuyAg firmly believes they are in the right spot at the right time to offer an online marketplace for food buyers to connect with local farmers. 2BuyAg, like many revolutionary ideas, was born of necessity. Harrison and her husband operate Harrison Valley Farms near Fulton, which has been producing and marketing pasture-raised and grass-fed beef and lamb since 2007. They sold to farmers’ markets, restaurants, food hubs, even individual buyers, endlessly driving across the state to make deliveries.

“The wear and tear on our family was just too much,” says the energetic Harrison. “We met ourselves coming and going. And it’s hard to do all the marketing and maintain the sheep and cattle, too.”

She began to think about how the farm could streamline marketing. She also realized her problems were by no means unique; all producers face the same issues. (more…)

Success Story: Vermont

When March rolls around in Vermont’s Green Mountains, many large-scale sugar makers are already hard at work tapping trees and boiling sap into the sweet syrup the state’s famous sugar maples provide. But there’s also a cadre of small-scale home producers who focus on providing a gallon or two for their families and friends.

Those small-scale backyard operations did not go unnoticed by husband and wife team Justin McCabe and Kate Whelley McCabe, who themselves had struggled with finding an efficient way for backyard sugar makers to produce affordable syrup for their families.

“Our young family could not find an affordable, fun way to sugar on a small scale, given the products on the market – and lack thereof,” Whelley McCabe said. This led them to open the Vermont Evaporator Company, a Montpelier based business that makes small-scale maple sugar evaporators for backyard sugar makers. Priced at $825, the evaporators are far more affordable than many of the professional models seen throughout Vermont and beyond. (more…)

Success Story: Idaho

Angie Stevens worked full-time and taught music part-time for years. In 2015, she was ready to focus on music full-time and designed an innovative, membership-based studio, Boise Music Lessons (BML).

Angie contacted the Idaho SBDC where she and her partner, Marcus, worked to differentiate her position in the market; developing a unique value proposition and identifying ideal clients. With this assistance and her experience in music education, Angie was able to set her business apart in an industry with high competition.

The first milestone came when both Angie and Marcus were working full-time at Boise Music Lessons, more than a year ahead of schedule. BML’s second major milestone came when Angie hired an independent contractor to keep up with increasing student demand. This contractor teaches instruments Boise Music Lessons didn’t previously serve, at a studio in a new part of town, strategically extending their reach in this industry.

Angie credits the Idaho SBDC’s assistance with reaching these milestones and continues to receive consultation to determine how best to scale her business with the increasing demand. “I appreciate [my SBDC consultant’s] willingness to dream big with me while also giving me the healthy dose of reality I need to succeed,” said Angie.

To learn more about Boise Music Lessons, click here. To learn more about the Idaho SBDC, click here.

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America's SBDC is the association that represents America's nationwide network of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs).
For no-cost business consulting and low-cost business training, contact your local SBDC.